2650 E. Grand River
East Lansing, MI 48823
1 (517) 500-8687
Call our main line to reach tinkr2.0 or tinkrTOTS.
Mon - Fri: 10:00 - 6:00 & Sat 10:00 - 4:00
Please visit the Childcare Page for tinkrTOTS hours!
East Lansing, MI 48823
Call our main line to reach tinkr2.0 or tinkrTOTS.
Please visit the Childcare Page for tinkrTOTS hours!
Melissa Rabideau
Join me on a transformative journey of discovery, creation, and innovation. No need for previous knowledge. No need to be perfect. We encourage the pursuit of originality. Unlock your imagination. Enjoy the freedom of choice. Celebrate the process.
Inspired by her father and his invention, The Poochie Bowl, tinkrLAB™ founder Melissa Rabideau saw the importance of supporting inventors and encouraging them from a young age. tinkrLAB™ was founded in 2014 with help from her father, Joe. The Rabideaus have been serving the Greater Lansing community with STEAM workshops, events, parties, toys and activities since the original tinkrLAB opened at the Meridian Mall in Okemos, Michigan. When asked what qualifies Melissa to provide the community with a STEAM hub, her response was surprising. “Nothing qualifies me to do this job. Except I’m willing to learn.”
Melissa explains many feel comfort in waiting until they feel “qualified” to try something new. This hesitancy can sometimes mean you might never try at all.
tinkrLAB™ was founded with the basic principle of experimentation. Melissa feels this philosophy is so important with the youthful generation who often receive a very different message.
“We like to break things and make messes here, and the kids take some time to loosen up. At first, they look unsure, like they’re going to get in trouble. I’m exhibiting first-hand what we preach here.” says Melissa. “I wanted to create tinkrLAB™ to have a space for people to be who they wanted to be, to experiment and to share knowledge and teach others.”
It’s fair to say that many future jobs for today’s youth don’t exist yet. So how do you train for something that doesn’t exist? You can train with self-discovery and self-learning, Melissa explains. “We use this at tinkrLAB™. We teach how to learn, not what to learn. We teach how to discover, not what to discover. With these skills, youth can create their own future with more confidence.”
Melissa hopes that anyone who comes to tinkrLAB™ can feel the sense of community she is working hard to create. Serving as a hub for all things STEAM, their ultimate mission is to foster a generation of independent thinkers who together can shape the future TODAY with the collaborative power of self-eSTEAM.
“We may hold children in our hands but they hold our future in theirs,” says Joe Rabideau. Joe also says kids are sponges and their only job is to learn, to observe, to build. At tinkrLAB™, you’ll find a place where independent thinking is encouraged. The belief is that collaboration comes from a STEAM-powered brain. “STEAM answers the question of ‘now what’ with original ideas,” says Joe. “We’re working to train a generation to think.” With focus and passion comes problem solving and solutions to more of the biggest issues our entire planet will have to face.
In October 2021, as part of the mission to figure out what their customers needed and offer it in a way they wanted, Melissa took a leap and started tinkrTOTS childcare & pre-K to introduce STEAM-focused learning and play to a younger age group!
In October 2022, tinkr2.0 was opened. It’s everything that you loved about the original tinkrLAB but bigger and better. It’s the perfect location for Greater Lansing guests to drop-in and play, attend an event or workshop, host a party, or shop for STEAM-related toys and activities.
“We are committed to constantly improving and offering our tinkr family the opportunity to learn, grow and create,” says Melissa.” I can’t wait for more people to come enjoy what we have made.”
Supporting STEAM in the community also includes:
Supporting STEAM in the community also includes:
Fostering a generation of independent thinkers who together can shape the future TODAY with the collaborative power of self-eSTEAM.
Fostering a generation of independent thinkers who together can shape the future TODAY with the collaborative power of self-eSTEAM